


Lie to Me

by rocknrolleigns (simpleandpure22)



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 03:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13068456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simpleandpure22/pseuds/rocknrolleigns
Summary: Roman's looking for a fake boyfriend to get his family off his back; Seth only wants to help.But maybe they get more than what they bargained for.





	Lie to Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MacKenna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MacKenna/gifts).



> I hope you like it!

Seth has lived with Dean for more than three years; is used to his antiques by now—or so he thought. But out of every shit he’s heard coming out of Dean’s unpredictable mouth, this one tops it all. Seth stares at him with wide eyes, still wondering if he heard him right.

“What did you say again?”

Dean waves his hand, looking unconcerned, as if he merely suggested Seth to try a new cocktail he made. “I said a guy I know from work needs a boyfriend for his family’s Christmas Dinner. You’d be perfect for it.”

Now at least Seth’s sure he didn’t hear his roommate wrong. “Seriously?” he replies, putting his book on the table in front of him. “Do I look like a person who’d do that?”

“You don’t—that’s kinda the point.” Dean has the audacity to grin, showing off his dimples.

Seth ignores it and crosses his arms. Dean’s dimples might make him look innocent, but he’s the opposite of innocent. “Since when did you run a fake dating agency, anyway? Did the guy pay you?”

“Well… he’s a regular, and he always leaves good tips,” Dean starts. He works as a bartender in a restaurant downtown. When Seth narrows his eyes he quickly continues, “But he’s a really nice guy, Seth. Has a big family and he’s the only son. His parents want him to settle down, never stop bugging him about it. But Roman just wants to focus on work for now.”

 _Roman_? That’s a pretty good name. But of course Seth doesn’t say it out loud; it might give Dean wilder ideas.

Dean must have seen him hesitating, because he says again, “Come over tomorrow night to see him. If you still don’t wanna after meeting him, then you don’t have to.” He turns around and starts digging through the newspapers on the table. “His last resort will be Craigslist.”

“But he could end up with a creep,” Seth comments, a frown appears between his brows. The guy—Roman must be really desperate if he’s considering Craigslist.

“Exactly.” Dean picks a newspaper from the pile, turning to Seth. “At least we know you’re not a creep.”

Seth rolls his eyes before playfully throwing his book at him, but Dean catches it and places it on the table. “What about Breezy? He’s easy on the eye,” Seth suggests. Breezy is another bartender at Dean’s work. He’s actually called Tyler Breeze, but nobody calls him by his name. Seth likes him cause he’s funny.

“Johnny’s not gonna be happy about it,” Dean responds as he flicks some pages over. Any other day Seth would scold him for creasing the papers, but he got distracted by what Dean just said.

“The new manager?”

Tossing the newspaper back to the pile, Dean says, “Yep. He’s mad about Breezy. Only a matter of time before they hook up.”

 _Interesting._ Johnny is tall, dark, and handsome, while Breezy blond and pretty. They sure would look good together. On the other hand, Seth can’t help but wonder how this Roman looks like. From the way Dean speaks about him he sounds polite and boring. Though Seth kinda understands Roman’s situation. His own mom sometimes asks if he’s seeing anyone, and sounds a bit disappointed when Seth tells him he isn’t. But he doesn’t have a big family; only his mother and grandpa—who’s pretty chill about it—so the pressure isn’t the same. If his family nagged him every single week about him being single, Seth would be crazy, too.

“How does this Roman look like?”

Glancing up, Dean gives him a smirk. “Not bad. You can see it for yourself if you come over tomorrow.”

“Sneaky jerk,” Seth mutters, though good-naturedly. Dean is rash and unpredictable; Seth can never tell what’s going on in his head. But he’s a good friend. After being Dean’s roommate for a while, Seth can’t help being fond of him.

“Come on, what have you got to lose?” Dean says again. “Last week you said everything has become a routine and you wanted something exciting to happen. If pretending to be someone’s boyfriend isn’t exciting, I don’t know what is.”

Well, he’s not wrong… Seth’s life is dull and uneventful. He thought moving to L.A. from Iowa would change that, but after three years it still feels the same. Not even the beautiful city and its people can change that. “Fine, but I don’t promise anything.”

Dean nods, already looking pleased. “Got it.”

“And stop creasing the newspapers.”

What he gets is a laugh and his book being thrown back at him.

~*~

Glancing at his watch for the third time in the last half an hour, Seth takes a deep breath and leans back on his seat. The first time they meet and the guy’s already eighteen minutes late; not a good thing in Seth’s book. Being punctual is one of the things he’s very strict about, especially at work. He’s a personal trainer and he makes sure his clients know that if they’re late for a session, the time won’t be restarted. There are exceptions, of course, but most of the time it’s better to be early than to be late.

Seth is considering going to the bar to give Dean a piece of his mind, when he hears a voice. “Are you Dean’s friend? I’m Roman. Sorry, I’m late, there was an accident on I-10.” Seth looks up and almost thinks that his eyes are deceiving him. The man in a black suit standing in front of him is _breathtaking_. He can’t be the one looking for a fake boyfriend.

He’s tall, big, and has warm brown skin. His face is all angles with chiseled jawline and high cheekbones. His dark hair is tied into a neat low bun, looking shiny under the lights. As he looks into the steel-grey eyes Seth has to remind himself to blink. They’re captivating. _And Dean merely said the guy’s not bad—is he blind?_ This guy is the most gorgeous thing Seth has ever laid his eyes on.

Roman is watching him, seemingly waiting for him to say something. Seth clears his throat. “Yeah, I’m Seth.” He motions Roman to have a seat next to him.

They study each other for a few seconds before Roman smiles. “Thanks for meeting me, Seth. I guess Dean has told you everything,” he says, sounding apologetic. “You must think I’m weird, but my family can be so overwhelming at times.”

“Do you think taking a boyfriend to the Christmas Dinner will stop them?” Seth can’t help asking.

“At least until next year, yeah,” Roman says. “I’m from Florida, moved here almost a year ago because I got promoted. This year has been hectic. A lot of stress and dating is the last thing on my mind. Hopefully, it’ll change next year when things at work are settling down, but my family doesn’t understand that. They keep pressuring me to find someone.” He sighs, gently shaking his head. “That’s why I need this, to get them off my back.”

Seth looks at him, trying to ignore the weird flutter in his stomach as he listens to Roman’s deep voice. _No, stop._ This guy might be perfect, but he’s not looking for a relationship, remember? But really, it won’t be such a hardship to pretend to be his boyfriend. Dean was right, this could be exciting. And perhaps that’s what Seth needs right now.

“Let’s do it.”

Roman doesn’t seem convinced. He stares intently at Seth’s face, as if trying to figure out if he’s being serious. “Are you sure? I might need to hug or even kiss you to make it look real.”

“Like I would mind,” the words tumble out of Seth’s mouth before he can stop himself. Wait a second, did he just flirt with Roman? They’ve only known each other for minutes. But there are sparks—and from the way Roman looks at him, Seth isn’t the only one feeling it.

The faint smile on Roman’s face confirms the thought. “Good to know.” His eyes are fixed on Seth, making Seth’s heart bang against his ribcage.

Neither of them seems to be able to look away, until Dean approaches them. “You two already hit it off,” he remarks, doesn’t even try to hide his annoying grin. “I told ya Seth’s perfect.” He turns to Roman who gives him a slow nod.

“He is.”

It doesn’t help calming Seth’s heartbeat down. Maybe this is a mistake, since he’s obviously attracted to Roman. It’s gonna be a challenge to convince himself they’re not really together. But, their chemistry might make it look more real. And it’s _kinda_ too late to back down now, right?

~*~

The first step they need to do is get to know each other, so they start going on dates—or so Roman calls them. Seth constantly reminds himself they’re not real dates, but more often than not he keeps forgetting it. On their first ‘date’ Roman takes him to a Japanese restaurant that serves sushi on a conveyor belt, after finding out that Seth loves sushi. The conveyor belt is a double-decker rotary plate that consists of hot and cold deck. Other than sushi, they also serve fried food and different kinds of desserts, not just Japanese.

“Everytime I go to this kind of restaurant, I spend more time watching the food that’s coming than actually eating,” Seth says, his gaze set on a plate of tuna nigiri.

Roman chuckles. “Me too.” He opens the small door and takes a plate of chicken karaage. “It’s kinda overwhelming.”

It doesn’t take long for Seth to find out that Roman is fun to be around with. They talk about their works, families, their old lives before they moved, as well as other things. As the subject changes to football, Roman grimaces when Seth tells him he’s a Chicago Bears fan. Seth laughs at his facial expression. “Oh, stop looking at me like that. I don’t need a reminder of how shitty my team is. At least I can make them win on Madden,” he says. “I’m sure I can beat you.”

“Yeah? I’d like to see you try,” Roman teases.

Seth gives him a sugary smile “You just wait.” The waiter comes to offer them sake, but Seth declines it.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna try it?” Roman asks after the waiter has left. “The sake here is really good.”

“Trying to make me drunk already, Roman?” Seth playfully accuses, narrowing his eyes.

It makes Roman laugh: a deep, soft laugh that sounds so good. _So_ _good_. “On the first date? Nah, I'd normally wait until the third.” His eyes never leave Seth’s face.

Again the casual flirting; it’s like they’re doing it automatically. Seth reaches out for his water and downs it, before he says something he’d regret. As they move on to dessert, Roman has a small frown on his face when he eats his tiramisu.

“What’s wrong?” Seth asks. He’s starting to eat his and it tastes alright. “You don’t like it?”

Roman takes another spoonful of the cake. “The sponge’s not soaked enough in coffee liqueur,” he says.

“Are you a tiramisu expert or something? Dean didn’t tell me,” Seth jokes. He thinks the cake isn’t bad. Not the best tiramisu he’s tasted, but it’s decent. Although Roman doesn’t seem to agree.

Roman smiles as he glances up at Seth. “No, but I can make you a better one.”

Seth holds his gaze, feeling his heartbeat speed up once again. “Careful what you promise, I might hold you to it.”

Roman doesn’t look away. As he speaks, his voice is getting huskier—and sexier. “I always keep my promises.”

To Seth’s luck, the waiter is back to collect the empty plates. They continue to eat the cake in comfortable silence, although Seth finds himself stealing glances at Roman from time to time. He likes Roman, it’s safe to say, but he’s also attracted to him like crazy. And it’s getting harder to pretend this is not a real date, because it sure feels like one.

After dinner Roman drives him back to his and Dean’s apartment, stopping at the parking lot. Seth unbuckles the seatbelt and turns to look at him. Roman is watching him; most of his face is obscured, making his eyes look mystifying. Seth feels a sudden urge to kiss him and it takes him by surprise. But his common sense keeps him from doing that. _No_ , it’s too soon, even for a fake relationship.

“I… should go. Wish I could invite you up, but I don’t normally do that on the first date,” he says, trying to sound neutral. Joking is a good way to ease up the tension between them, and it worked before

It seems to work again, because Roman’s lips curl up into a smile. “Next time, then.”

~*~

They go to more dates, hanging out almost every day. Seth tells himself it’s because Christmas is less than three weeks away and they need to look comfortable together in order to be convincing. But he’s holding back. And so is Roman—or at least that’s what Seth feels. After all the natural flirting in their first date, they tone it down and keep it friendly. Seth knows they’re not doing it the right way, but he might not be able to conceal his attraction towards Roman if they get too close. That’s his reason; he doesn’t know what Roman’s reason is.

Dean, being the observant bastard that he is, starts to notice.

“You guys aren’t fooling anyone,” he remarks one day, when Seth and Roman are sitting side by side on the couch in their apartment, watching football on TV (The Falcons vs. The Bears and the former is leading by fourteen points from two touchdowns. _Typical_ ).

“What do you mean?” Seth asks. He averts his eyes from the TV to Roman next to him. They’re sitting quite close, their arms are occasionally brushing. Why does Dean think they’re not convincing? “We’re not close enough for you?”

Shaking his head, Dean looks at them in turn. “I can tell you’re getting along well. _As friends_. But I don’t see you as boyfriends yet,” he says truthfully. “Too polite to each other. You guys need to step up the intimacy level, otherwise Roman’s family won’t buy it.”

As Seth turns to Roman, he can see that Roman is considering what Dean said. Then before Seth can say anything, he shifts and puts an arm around Seth’s shoulder. “Better?” Roman asks, quirking his brows at Dean.

“Yep.” Dean’s face breaks into a grin. “Much better.”

Seth knows that Dean is right, it’s important for them to be believable. So, he lets himself lean on Roman, discreetly enjoying the way his solid body feels against his side. Roman’s fingers gently move on his shoulder, tracing some unclear patterns. Feeling encouraged by that, Seth lays his hand on Roman’s thigh. Is he going too far…? But from what he can tell Roman doesn’t show any sign of discomfort, so his hand stays there until the end of the match. If Dean notices it, he doesn’t say anything.

~*~

“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Roman says, as soon as he sees Seth. He leans over to kiss Seth’s cheek before sitting down on the stool in front of him. “Traffic’s really bad as usual.”

After Dean told them to crank up their intimacy level, they’ve been doing that. Casual touches and brief hugs, kisses on the cheeks. Since Roman’s a bit taller than Seth he sometimes kisses Seth’s head, too. Seth has no idea how much convincing they are now, but he genuinely enjoys touching Roman and being in his arms. Though if he’s being honest… he wants _more_. And he knows he shouldn’t.

Today they promise to meet up at Starbucks near Seth’s gym, and Roman is about ten minutes late. “When aren’t you late?” Seth can’t help to tease him. Roman smiles at that, but he seems a little tense. “You okay?” Seth asks.

Roman inhales deeply, putting one of his hands on the table. “I have bad and good news. The bad news is my sister’s coming next week,” he says carefully, his voice tinted with concern. “She’ll stay with me for three days and then we’ll go to Florida together.”

Seth feels his heart beating faster. Roman’s sister is coming… what if she figures out they’re not really dating? “And—the good news?”

“The good news is if she believes us, the rest of the family will, too.”

It doesn’t really make Seth feels better. It can’t be that easy to make her believe, can it? “Okay,” he says in a low voice that’s almost drowned by the noise from people around them.

Roman must have sensed his worry, because he reaches for Seth’s hand that lies on the table and gives it a tender squeeze. “Hey, it’s gonna be okay. We’ll be so convincing she won’t have a reason to doubt us.”

 _You already are._ Seth looks at him, at the smile that makes his heartbeat pick up pace for a different reason this time. He loves the way Roman holds his hand, firm but at the same time gentle. It feels… real. To the people around them they must look like a couple. _But it isn’t real,_ a voice in his head bursts his bubble. _It’s a lie._

“I need to ask you something. But you might not like it,” Roman says again, hasn’t let go of Seth’s hand.

“What is it?”

Roman is quiet for a moment. He lifts his other hand and places it on top of Seth’s hand. “I think you should stay with me, to familiarize with the place and everything.” When he sees that Seth’s lips part but no words come out, he adds, “But it’s just a suggestion. You don’t have to do it. I’m already grateful that you’re willing to help me.” He lets out another smile.

His smile is soft and a tad wistful. Seth feels an urge to touch his face, and he allows himself to do it. He reaches out to caress Roman’s cheek, liking the way Roman’s stubble tickles his skin. “I’ll do it.”

“You sure?” Roman is the one who doesn’t sound too sure.

“Yeah,” Seth says, giving him a reassuring smile. Maybe he will regret it, but right now it feels like the right thing to do.

Roman watches him in silence. Then after some long seconds he nods, gently squeezing Seth’s hand once again. “Thank you.”

~*~

Living with Roman is different from living with Dean. For example, Roman is much tidier than Dean and his house is meticulous. There are no dirty clothes on the carpet, or wet soap on the bathroom floor. The place has a modern vibe, but it’s far from being clinical, like it could be. The pictures on the living room wall give a warm feeling, as well as the cream leather couch and maroon rug underneath. But the best part is that the house is close to the beach—Seth can see the ocean from the balcony in his room.

Though he misses Dean and his weird ramblings, he finds himself quickly getting used to live with Roman. _Maybe a bit too quickly_.

“It’s not quite set yet,” Roman says after he made a tiramisu and it’s has been sitting in the fridge for hours. Seth is getting restless, but Roman keeps telling him it still needs time.

“It’s been five hours,” Seth points out.

He makes his way to the refrigerator but Roman grabs his arm and pulls him close. “It needs at least six hours,” he says, brushing some stray hair off Seth’s face.

Seth’s eyes widen at hearing that. “Six hours? I can’t wait that long.”

Roman lets out a chuckle, and Seth tries to ignore how good he sounds. He’ll never get tired of listening to it. “It’s less than an hour,” Roman says.

“What should we do until then?”

He doesn’t get a reply right away. Roman watches him with an unreadable expression, his hand still on Seth’s arm. “I could think of something.” His voice gets deeper and softer.

Seth suddenly feels that his throat is dry and his heart skips a beat. “Something like what?”

Roman’s hand trails up Seth’s arm, all the way to his shoulder until it cups his face. His thumb gently strokes Seth’s cheek across his cheekbone, over and over. Seth is captivated by the way Roman’s grey eyes are roaming on his face. “My sister would expect us to kiss, don’t you think?”

Swallowing thickly, Seth finds himself nod. Then Roman says again, “Maybe we should practice before she gets here,” barely above a whisper.

“…Good idea.”

Seth draws in a deep breath, reminding himself it’s just a practice. They can’t kiss awkwardly in front of Roman’s sister, can they? But the moment Roman’s lips caress his, all the logical thoughts disappear without a trace. He parts his lips, inviting Roman’s tongue to enter. It quickly brushes against his own. The sensation sends an electrical tingle to Seth’s skin, making him moan softly. He threads his fingers through Roman’s silky hair as it falls from the bun on the nape of his neck.

 _A fake kiss shouldn’t feel like this_.

When they pull away for air, Seth slowly opens his eyes. He doesn’t even remember when he closed them. Roman’s grey orbs seem dazed, and Seth wonders if his own eyes look the same.

“I think—we’ll be fine,” Seth says, noticing how rough his voice sounds.

“Yeah.” Roman looks at him, or more precisely at his lips. He leans forward to capture Seth’s lips once again, and Seth returns the kiss without thinking. Roman’s mouth trails over Seth’s jawline towards his neck, slow and intoxicating. “We’ll be just fine,” Roman murmurs against his skin.

~*~

Roman’s sister Anna is tall and beautiful like him. She has the same shiny dark hair, and her smile is just as warm. Seth finds himself immediately liking her. Roman has told him that she’s the oldest of his four sisters, as well as the best cook of them all, only beaten by their mother.

“Did you guys spoil him rotten?” Seth asks jokingly as they sit down for dinner (Anna insisted to cook a roast chicken, despite Seth’s protest that she must be tired from the trip). Roman is the youngest—and the only boy in the family.

She laughs, putting her fork next to the plate. “Guess we did, especially our mom. She still has a hard time accepting that he lives so far away now,” she says. “She didn’t take me moving to New York as hard.”

Next to him Seth hears Roman sigh. “C’mon, she cried when you said you were going to New York.”

“But it wasn’t long until she got used to it. It’s not the case with you, and you know it,” Anna says again. But there’s no malice in her voice, in fact she sounds amused. “Gotta admit I was a little jealous of you when we were kids, but as I grow older I understand that you’ll always be her baby. Besides, it’s good for me that mom and dad aren’t constantly bugging me about finding a man—unlike you.” She grins, and then chuckles when Roman lets out another sigh.

Seth merely listens. Roman once told him that his parents have always been supportive of him since he came out to them. They were disappointed, of course, but they never treated him differently.

Anna shifts her gaze to Seth, and she smiles. “I don’t know what you see in him, Seth, but our family’s gonna be thrilled to see you,” she says, sounding sincere. “I’m sure they all will like you.”

Guilt is creeping in Seth’s chest, but he forces himself to smile. What previously is a simple lie doesn’t seem so simple anymore. Anna’s presence makes Seth realize they’re lying to real people, not just faceless names. Saying that he feels bad is an understatement. But he can’t ruin it for Roman now. He’s promised.

“I’m happy my brother found you,” she tells him when he helps her loading the dishwasher. Roman is taking a shower upstairs because he spilled some sauce on his shirt. “I was worried mom and dad had pushed him too hard that he would just settle for the wrong person. But I can see that he’s really in love with you.”

Her words don’t make him feel any better. _Your brother_ ’ _s really convincing, isn’t he?_  Seth doesn’t doubt that Roman is genuinely attracted to him; it’s proven by their kisses. But it doesn’t mean he will change his mind about not wanting a relationship.

“Do you think we tricked her?” Seth asks later that night when Anna has gone to bed. Before she came he stayed in one of the guest rooms, but now he has to stay with Roman in the master bedroom, lying with him in his huge bed. Had Seth not felt so guilty, it would make him giddy with anticipation.

Roman rolls over to his side. “I wouldn’t say we tricked her. More like we convinced her,” he says. “Isn’t it good?”

“Tricked, convinced, what’s the difference? It’s still a lie.”

Seth doesn’t know what makes him say that. He knows from the beginning what he’s gotten himself into. But meeting Anna has thrown him off, reminding him what they’re doing is… wrong.

“Seth,” Roman says, starting to sound concerned. “You’re not changing your mind, are you?”

Seth’s gaze roams on his face, lingering on his captivating eyes for a few moments before moving to his soft mouth. “No.”

“Good.” Roman shifts closer, putting his hand on the back of Seth’s neck. “Cause I’m already used to having you around.” He slightly tilts his head and kisses Seth, again and again, until Seth’s guilt is pushed to the back of his mind and he lets himself get carried away one more time.

~*~

If meeting Anna has made Seth question what they’re doing, meeting Roman’s family makes the guilt feel so much worse. As Anna predicted, they all seem to like him. Tessa, one of Roman’s other sisters, jokingly says she wonders why someone as gorgeous as Seth wants to date her brother.

Roman has a big extended family. Apart from his parents and sisters, there are also his dad’s brothers and their family, as well as the family from his mom’s Italian side. Pretty sure there are at least thirty people in the house—thank God it’s a huge house. But oddly enough, Seth doesn’t feel overwhelmed by them. They’re all really nice to him, despite being openly interested about his and Roman’s relationship. Lisa, Roman’s mom, keeps glancing at him and she smiles everytime their eyes meet.

“No, dear, it’s okay,” she tells Seth as he asks her if she needs help with dessert. “The girls are already helping me.”

Seth nods politely. He’s about to leave the kitchen when he hears Lisa say, “Thank you for coming here.” He turns around and finds her watching him with a smile on her face. “Is your family okay with you not celebrating Christmas with them?”

“It’s just my mom and grandpa, and we’re not really festive,” Seth tells her. “I’m coming home for New Year, so it’s all good.”

She is still watching him. “Roman is used to have us around. He won’t admit how lonely he is in L.A., but I know he is. And he’s always working so much,” she says, followed by a soft sigh. “Please take care of him for us.”

Something hot is blocking Seth’s throat; something that has been terribly familiar in the last few days. _Guilt._ How could he lie to these nice people, who want nothing more than Roman’s happiness? Seth feels like such a horrible person. What have been all games and fun to them is a serious matter to Roman’s family. Their genuine kindness feels like a heavy load on Seth’s shoulders, because he for sure doesn’t deserve it.

Just as Seth thinks he can’t possibly feel any worse, one of Roman’s cousins Jimmy announces that he’s getting married to his girlfriend Naomi next year.

“You have to come,” Jimmy tells Seth, a warm wide grin is threatening to split his face in two. “Uce is finally going a wedding with a plus one.” He turns to Roman who playfully elbows him, making his twin brother Jey laugh.

Naomi rolls her eyes, but she smiles when she looks at Seth. “We’re looking forward to see you in the summer, Seth.”

Seth can’t bring himself to let them down. No, he’s not gonna ruin the day. He manages to put up a smile that he hopes is convincing enough. To his luck, everyone seems to buy it.

Everyone but Roman.

~*~

“You’ve been quiet all the way home,” Roman says as soon as they’re back in L.A. the next day. “What’s the matter? Did my family say something that offended you?”

 _Home._ Roman’s house is starting to feel like home for Seth, and it’s a very dangerous thought. Seth places his suitcase near the couch and turns around to face Roman. There’s no easy way to say this, but he has to do it. “I can’t do this, sorry,” he says quietly. “I can’t lie to your family anymore.”

Roman stares at him, as if trying to grasp what he just said. “What?”

“I can’t pretend to be your boyfriend anymore. And—I’m not coming to Naomi and Jimmy’s wedding. Surely you’ll figure something out… maybe tell them we broke up.”

“May I ask why?” Roman looks taken aback, but he’s still sounding calm. “Did I do something wrong?”

Seth shakes his head. “I thought I wouldn’t feel bad about helping you, since your family sounded intrusive and all. But after I met them it’s clear that they just want you to be happy. It makes me feel terrible, Roman. I can’t—I’m not lying to them anymore.”

Roman holds his gaze in silence for a long moment, so long that Seth thinks he’s not going to say anything. But then he slowly nods. “I understand,” Roman says. “I shouldn’t have dragged you into my mess, I’m sorry.” His eyes look dejected, but he stays put.

Fighting an urge to step closer to him, Seth holds the handle of his suitcase. “I’m going back to mine and Dean’s apartment.” He sees Roman’s jaw tighten, and for a second it seems like Roman wants to stop him. But he doesn’t.

“Thank you for everything,” he says, pulling Seth into a hug.

Seth’s eyes are automatically closed. He allows himself to savor the feeling of being in Roman’s arms _one last time_. “Take care of yourself,” he murmurs against Roman’s shoulder. “Stop working too much.”

Roman places a chaste kiss on the side of his neck and pulls away. “I’ll try.”

Just when he turns around and walks for a few steps, Seth hears Roman say again, “I’ll see you around in Dean’s restaurant?”

He stops on his tracks. “Maybe.” Then without waiting for Roman to respond, Seth heads for the door. He has to go. The longer he stays here, the harder it is to leave. And the harder it is to accept that he’s not a part of Roman’s life anymore.

~*~

Two weeks has passed since Christmas. Seth has gone home to Iowa to celebrate New Year with his mom and grandpa, and now he’s back in L.A. They were fine with him not coming home for Christmas; his grandpa even joked that he did it on purpose to avoid the festivity. Seth didn’t tell them he spent Christmas with a very festive family, because it would be complicated to explain. He just said he was with some friends.

Dean was surprised when he came back to their apartment. “I thought you and Roman were getting together for real,” he said, being blunt as usual. “You guys seem so in love. Nobody is that good at pretending.”

Seth tries not to think about what Dean said. Maybe Roman likes to have him around because it’s convenient. Didn’t his mom say Roman isn’t used to be alone? But he’s not in love with Seth—at least not the way Seth is in love with him. That’s why he has to forget about Roman and move on. But it’s always easier said than done. As much as Seth doesn’t want to admit it, he misses Roman like crazy. He misses his smile, his laugh, his exquisite eyes… and how he always radiates warmth.

It’s pathetic. He can’t keep feeling like this. Roman doesn’t want a relationship, and Seth can’t put his heart on the line and risk getting hurt. Maybe, they’re just not meant to be.

Tonight after work, Seth is going to Dean’s restaurant. Even though it’s Dean’s day off and he’s out with his girlfriend Renee. But Seth doesn’t want to be alone in the apartment. Being alone makes his mind wander, and it always goes back to one particular place—more precisely, one particular person.

He sits on one of the bar stools, absently trailing his finger over the edge of his beer glass. A muffled thud shakes him off his thoughts. He looks up and sees that Breezy has put a new glass of beer on the counter.

“I didn’t order that,” Seth tells him. He doesn’t drink much and his own beer is still more than half full.

Breezy gives him a conspiratorial smile. “It’s from that gentleman over there.” He gestures with his head.

Seth looks over his shoulder, and what he sees makes his heart skip a beat. A familiar face is sitting at the other end of the counter, watching him with the grey eyes that never fail to enchant Seth. Roman stands up, walking towards him, and Seth can only watch.

“Hey,” Roman starts, stopping next to him. A small smile crosses his face. “You look good.”

Seth wants to say something, but he’s too taken aback by the sudden presence. He fixes his gaze on Roman’s face, can’t quite believe how much he’s missed this man. It’s only been two weeks.

Luckily, Roman does all the talking. “I called Dean, and he said you’d be here,” he says. “I need to ask you something.”

“Asking me what thing?” Seth finally finds his voice.

“Asking you to give me another chance,” Roman says, reaching for Seth’s hand.

Okay, how much beer has Seth had? He is a lightweight, yeah, but even he won’t be drunk after just half a glass. He shakes his head, looking at Roman. “Another chance of what?”

“Of being your boyfriend again.”

Seth blinks in bewilderment. Did he hear him right? “But I thought you don’t want a relationship.” That’s the reason why this whole thing started.

“I thought so, too. But after having you in my life I realized I was wrong,” Roman says, gently squeezing Seth’s hand, with a tender look in his eyes. “I want it with you.”

It’s getting too much to take. Seth has almost made a peace with himself that he and Roman aren’t meant to be, and now Roman came and told him all this. What the hell is he supposed to do? “If you’re doing this to please your family I—“

“No, Seth,” Roman doesn’t let him finish. As he shakes his head, his soft gaze becomes more intense. “I’m glad my family loves you, but I’m doing this for me. Not for them.”

Seth tries to look for some signs of lies in his eyes, but he can’t find any. “You’re not lying to me, are you?” he asks, as a last resort.

Roman gently shakes his head, looking at Seth as if he’s the only person in the room. “I’m crazy about you.”

 _Nobody is that good at pretending_. 

“So am I.”

 


End file.
